This Essential Tool Is the Key to Pushing Past Your Weightlifting Plateaus

All it'll cost you: 25 bucks

Failing to complete a lift when surrounded by your gym bros can be a humiliating and humbling experience. But your failure may have had nothing to do with how strong your arms or legs are, or what training program you follow—it may all lie in having weak grip strength. A recent study found that hand grip strength is directly applicable to overall muscular strength and endurance. Other research has shown that a strong grip predicts a lower chance of heart attacks and stroke.

If you're hitting the racks consistently and following a program that mixes multi-joint lifts like power cleans and deadlifts, then your grip is already being challenged and strengthened. But sometimes, using specialized grip-strengthening equipment that hones in on the muscles in the back and front of the hand will help you push past a plateau. We like the Harbinger Ergo Grip Strength System ($24.99, buy it here).

These ergonomically designed grip rings come in progressive resistance weights—20 lb., 40 lb., and 60 lb.—that allow you to slowly develop a killer clasp. The shape of the oblong rings allows you to flip them around to use for a variety of exercises so you can focus on different parts of your hand, from the fingertips to deeper in the palm. Bonus: The tacky silicone feels good in your hand and is a cinch to clean. Now prepare to get back in the gym and plow down your plateaus.

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